Apparatus for forcing gas through mains



(No Model.)

J. S. FISH.

v APPARATUS FOR PORGING GAS THROUGH MAINS. No. 406,718.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOI-IN S. FISH, F CHOESTOE, GEORGIA.

APPARATUS FOR FORCING GAS THROUGH MAINS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 406,718, dated July 9,1889. Application led November 27, 1888. Serial No. 291,963. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN S. FIsH, a citizenV of the United States,residing at Choestoe, in the county of Union and State of Georgia, haveinvented certain new and useful "Improvements in Apparatus for ForcingGas Through Mains, of which the following is a speciication, referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawing, in which is rep" resenteda vertical sectional view of my apparatus, some of the part-s heilig' inside elevation. Y

It is a well-known fact that when gas is transmitted for long distancesthrough pipes the friction generated by the gas impinging on theinterior Aot the pipes so retards or checks its passage and reduces itspressure that it has been found necessary to enlarge the pipes inproportion to the length of the line of pipe in order to keep up thepressure and obtain a rapid and regular iiow of gas. This methodand'others equally expensive have beenadopted for transmitting gas overlong distances; but none yet tried, so far as I am aware, have provedentirely satisfac` tory, in that they fail to keep up a regular andsteady pressure of gas. It is, therefore, the essential object of thisinvention to provide an apparatus of simple consti-notion thatwillinsure a rapid and regular flow of gas irrespective of the length ofthe pipe-line, as will be more fully hereinafter stated.

The invention consists, essentially, of two large verticalforcing-tanks, each of which is separated into two compartments-anair-com partment and a gas-compartment-by a IieXible diaphragm, theupper or gas compartments of the tanks being connected by independentvalved pipes with the main pipe and source-pipe, and the lower or aircompartments of the tanks being connected by suitable valved air-pipeswith an airpump, and suitable automatic valves for reversing the flow ofair through the air-pump, whereby the gas is alternately forced out ofthe gas-compartments of the tanks into the mains under an increased andsteady pressure, one of the gascompartments being illed with gas fromthe source-pipe, while the gas in the other coIn partment is beingforced out into the main pipe, and so on alternately, the .operationbeing continuous and entirely automatic, as will presently appear. I

In the accompanying drawing, A A' designate the two cylindricalforcing-tanks, which may be of any suitable size and shape, and may bemounted upon suitable bases or foundations. Each'tank is divided intotwo compartments B B' by a loose flexible imperforate diaphragm C, madeof any suitable Inaterial and secured at its edges to the tank in anyconvenient manner. The diaphragms are each provided with a centralmetallic platee, and are sufii ciently loose and baggy to extend fromthe middle ot the tanks (their point of attachment) to their respectiveends, as shown. I denominate the upper chambers B the gas-compartments,as they receive noth ing but gas, and the lower chambers theaircompartments, as they receive nothing but compressed air.

Leading from the tops of the respective gas-compartments are two pipesor conduits D D', connected to and communicating with the source-pipe D'these pipes D D' being provided with suitable automatic valves, in thisinstance ball-valves b b' being employed.

Leading from the top of the respective gascompartments of the tanks arealso two other pipes E E', which connect and communicate with the main'pipe E", the pipesE E' being provided with suitable ball or other valvesc c'. These pipes E E', and also the pipes D D', are stayed andsupported by suitable 'brackets d, attached to the tanks.

G, and connected and communicating with the section F", are the shortpipes or elbows I-I H', provided with gravitating valves c e', regulatedby suitable set-screws e". Connecting the ends of the cylinder G,respectively, with the pipes F F' are the two airroo pipes I I',communicating with each other by an intermediate pipe I' the said pipesI I' being provided with inwardly-opening valves ff', where they enterthe air-cylinder. Connected to the pipe I" is the air-supplying pipe J,provided with a suitable valve or stop-cock J Inserted or interposed inthe pipes F I, and also in the pipes F' I', are the valve-boxes K K', inwhich work slide-valves L L', the latter being provided with suitableoperatingrods M M', projecting out through the heads of the valve-boxes.The ends of theseoperating-rods M M' are connected by means of a longrocking lever N, pivoted upon a standard erected on the pipe F". Bymeans of this rocking Vlever it will be observed that when one Valve isup the other will be down, as clearly shown.

Passing through suitable stuffing-boxes in the tops of the tanks A A'are central rods O O', pivotally connected, by means of the pivotedlevers Pand intermediate rods Q, to the respective ends of therocking-lever N.

If desired, the source-pipe D and the main E" may be connected directlytogether by a valved pipe, as shown in dotted lines, whereby the gas maybe allowed to flow from the sourcepipeinto the main without passingthrough the apparatus, should it be desired or become necessary.

The parts being in the position indicated and the piston in theair-cylinder moving inthe direction indicated by the arrow, the iiow ofgas and air will Y be as follows: As the piston moves forward, the airin front of it will pass out through the pipe II' (the pressure havingclosed the valve f') into the pipe F", and through the valve-box K andpipe F int-o the air-compartment B' of the tank A, as indicated by thearrows, the valve L preventing the air from passing through the pipe Iand the valve L' preventing it from entering the pipe F'. At the sametime the air is being thus forced from in front of the piston into theair-compartment of the 'tank A the air is being exhausted from theair-compartment of the other tank and drawn into the air-cylinder behindt-he piston, the air passing through the pipes F', I', I", and I, pastthe inwardly-opening valve f, the valve ebeing held closed by thepressure and suction thus created, as is evident.y This movement of theair continues until the piston reaches the end of its forward stroke.When the piston moves in the reverse direction, the air that has beendrawn into the cylinder behind the piston in the manner described isforced out through the pipe H, (the valve f being automatically closed,)past the valve e, and throughv the valve-box K and pipe F, into theair-compartm ent of the tank A, the air being in the meanwhile drawn outof the air-compartment of tank A' into the forward end of the cylinder,in front of the receding piston, through the pipes F' and I', and pastthe valve f', the

valve e being closed by the pressure and suction of the piston. As theair is thus forced in the'air-compartment of the tank A and drawn out ofthe air-compartment of the tank A', the gas in the gas-compartment B ofthe tank A will be forced out through the pipe E, past the valve c, andinto the main E", the valve b in the inlet-pipe being closed by thepressure of gas in the gas-compartment, and as the air is being drawnout of the air-compartment of the tank A' the gas from the source-pipeD" is drawn into the gas-compartment ofY this tank through theinlet-pipe D', past the valve b', the valve c' in the outlet-pipe E'being closed bythe pressure of gas from the main and the otheroutlet-pipe E. As the air is drawn out of one compartment and forcedinto the other, the flexible imperforate diaphragm in the former willmove downward and the diaphragm in the latter will be forced upward, asis evident. Vhen the air has been nearly exhausted from the tank A andforced into the tank A, the diaphragm in the latter will (through theYmedium of its metallic plate a) come in contact with the rod O and forceit upward. This movement of the rod 0 will, through the medium of thepivoted levers and connectingrods, raise the valve L and depress thevalve L' and rod O', thus reversing the operation of the entireapparatus. The instant the valves L L are thus shifted the air will bedrawn out lof the air-compartment of the tank A, through the pipes F I,valve-box- L, pipes I" -I, and into the cylinder, and from the cylinderthe air will be forced, through the pipes H H', F", and F', into theair-compartment of the tank A', as is obvious.

The operation of the apparatus, it will thus be observed, is continuousand entirely automatic, the air-pump never having to be reversed, andthe gas will be forced rapidly and steadily, at an increased pressure,through the main. By increasing the speed of the air-pump the speedandfpressure of gas in the main will be proportionately increased, andvice versa. By thus alternately pumping the air from one air-chamberinto another by means of a closed pump, cut off during its operationfrom the external atmosphere, the pressure of iifteen pounds to thesquare inch incident upon the connection of the pump with the externalair will be obviated, and

the friction in the main due to such pressurel will be obviated. Inother words, the atmosphere is employed in the pump, and the airchambersto work the diaphragm, being simpl y moved back and forth from oneair-chamber to the other, and forms a perfectly-balanced medium foroperating the diaphragms, wholly unaffected from external atmosphericpressure.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination of the two tanks, each di- Ico IIO

vided into two compartments by a movable In testimony whereof I affix mysignature mperfomte diapllmgm,valved inlet and outin presence of twoWitnesses. let pipes leading into the gaseompartments of the said tanks,an air-pump, valved pipes Connecting the `air-pump with theair-oompartment of the said tanks, and val Ves for automaticallyreversing the flow of ai): through the pump, substantially as hereindescribed.

JoHNs. FISH.

`Witnesses:

JOHN J. FISH, FRANK. WHITE.

